Project 2 development area
Group Members
- Holly Eldi - haeldi916 [ at ] hotmail [ . ] com
- Wlodek Koss - wk372 [ at ] nyu [ . ] edu
- John Schimmel - schimmel [ at ] nyu [ . ] edu
Our Character
- 63 year old male
- Lives alone in a ranch home
- Stroke caused
- Left side paralysis
- Right Side brain stroke
- Flexersynergetic conditions (wow spelling)
- Wheelchair used for mobility
Prior the stroke, client was independent will all self care and household management tasks
Task analysis - Washing Clothes (not definite)
Prior Documentation for using a washing machine
Review of Existing Technology
- The ideal washer and dryer set - both are front loading and relatively good position for a wheel chair to approach.
- Washer Interface - controls for the machine are on the front and easy to reach. Unlike a top loading washing machine where the controls set back in, the dials and buttons are readable and viewable.
- Example of loading clothes into the washer - although this is a person without disablities you can see the relative position of the machines, the washer door and dryer doors will open opposite each other to make room for a wheel chair between.
Accessories for getting laundry done - with one good arm and hand
- Storage between washer and dryer - easily accessible
- Mobile Hamper / Laundry Cart - http://www.caldwellandgregory.com/r_and_b_carts.htm
- One Handed Shirt Folding - http://www.flipfold.com (possibly)
- Long reach grabber -
Problem & Solution
The one problem we decided to conquer after seeing that many devices are already available to make daily tasks easier for common disablities was the need to help get detergent and bleach safely from the container to the machines. For a person with one good arm and hand, fixed to a wheel chair it might be impossible to even get the bottle poored safely on a counter top into the measuring cup - or even get the bottle poored into the detergent compartment directly. Lifting a laundry bottle, that could easily be more than 7 pounds might be impossible.
Off of the idea of a 55 gallon drum caddie that is used in machine shops that helps raise, lower and pour large containers, we could design a laundry detergent caddie that would help pour the detergent without having to lift the container and eliminate the possibility of dropping.
